“Great dinner mom!” I tell her as we clear the dinner table. She looks surprised by my sudden compliment, and I know she’s pretty shocked that I’m even talking to her, let alone being nice.
“Uh, mom?” I ask. “Can we talk?” The expression on her face goes from shocked to suspicious.

“Of course honey. What’s on your mind?” I could hear the hesitancy in her voice.

“Well, can you tell me a story first?” I blurted out, not really knowing what I was saying. Raziela! What are you doing? Just ask her how..oh I suddenly realized what story I wanted to hear. Thankfully, mom nodded.

I took a deep breath and asked, “Mom, can you tell me how you met dad?”

I watched her face as her expression turned from curiosity to surprise, and from surprise to pain. I turned away, realizing that it was a really bad idea to ask her.

“You don’t-”

“No, it’s ok.” She said. Then she took a deep breath and began her tale.